Under This Darkling Sky
by Marauding-Moonbabe
Summary: From the time Harry describes killing Voldemort, to the time his daughter gets married, to his death, all is known under this darkling sky. 'Their eyes, Hermione, they knew they were about to die, and could do nothing about it. Men I killed.'


Under this Darkling Sky

Marauding Moonbabe

Disclaimer: If you think I am good enough to create an entire world by myself, you have overestimated my abilities severely, and should either join your local AA meetings, or crawl back into the hovel hole you hermits call home.

Harry wearily laid his head down on the grass that swayed freely on top of a hill. He welcomed the darkness that enveloped the world at that moment. He welcomed the tufts of grass under his head, the ants that scurried for food, and owls that disturbed the eerie quite of the night with their soft hoots. After the final battle, he welcomed everything.

This hill, only minutes ago, was filled with screams of agony, with tears of eternal sadness, and final words of love and hatred. The final battle was now finished, and the raven-haired young man welcomed all things willingly. Even death would suit him now.

Another figure walked slowly up the hill that caused the world both pain and joy. She leaned over the man that was unaware of everything around him, enjoying the first fully relaxed moment of his life. "Harry." The whisper came from Harry's right ear. "Hermione?" Harry struggled into a sitting position, blinking as she muttered a lumos spell. "What are you doing here, Hermione?"

"I wanted to see if you were okay." Her eyes, large and luminous against her pail face, pooled with the night's dark shadows. She stood him up and slowly helped him walk down the hill. She placed her hands on his cheeks and softly kissed him, but Harry made no gesture to return the show of affection. "What's wrong Harry?"

A bark of cold, humorless laughter left Harry's cracked lips. "What's wrong? The world is wrong. It's as twisted as a picture tossed into the fire." He clenched his fist against his chest. "And I am wrong. Every time I allow myself to close my eyes, I see people bleeding from my curses. People I _killed _Hermione. And their eyes… oh their _eyes_!They knew they were about to die, and that they could do nothing about it. They knew… I knew… and still I had to do it. I couldn't…" Words failed Harry as he felt hot tears running down his face. The first tears…

Hermione cradled his head as Harry finally cried for the fallen. He cried for Cedric and Madam Bones; he cried for the others killed in the war; he cried his fate; he wept those long-awaited tears for Dumbledore and Sirius. He sobbed until he felt hollow and dry.

He gazed into Hermione's eyes as another emotion flooded into him. It was an emotion he had never allowed in before. He saw Hermione's own eyes that sparkled like gems in the darkness. "Hermione, my love." He repeated the words, relishing in the sweet taste they had obtained. "My love. I have nothing that matters to you except for my love." He kneeled at her feet and bowed his head. "Will you marry me?"

Hermione kneeled in front of Harry. "My love, my Harry, how could you ask that?" Harry's heart cracked as an intense pain in his chest formed. _So this is heartbreak…_ Then, Hermione lifted his head. Harry saw joy and happiness leaping in her brown pools as she said, "Yes."

That night it rained and thunder shook the sky.

A beautiful young woman with brown hair and havana eyes walked slowly down the isle. She wore a flowing white dress with a golden Celtic belt. Matching the belt were rings of fabric gold around her arms. The moderate V-neck was also in a golden hue. Intricate designs the color of the sun danced along the bottom of the long dress. On top of the brown hair was a wide band of gold holding back the long wavy hair. A moderate necklace and bracelet were also adorned. The woman looked as if she had stepped out of a medieval Celtic dream. She stepped up to the alter and stared her love in the face.

She smiled and turned to the person marrying them. He smiled, but looked to the man with hair like ebony. He began to slowly sing.

_Thoughts of you and how you changed me _

_Fill my mind _

_Without you where would I be? _

_Even though I've tried to express my thanks _

_It never comes out as I hoped _

_I want to say so much more so with these simple words _

_  
I'll try _

_I love you _

_My heart is yours, only yours _

_I long to give you all of me _

_My everything, my everything _

_Oh, I never could repay you _

_You gave everything _

_Without you where would I be? _

_You still love me even when I _

_Pushed you away _

_You stood there and waited _

_Till the day I'd return _

_I love you _

_My heart is yours, only yours _

_I long to give you all of me _

_My everything, my everything _

As the young man to be married finished, the bride had finished trying to hold back tears. As they trickled down her face, the man wiped them away. The man in white proceeded with the wedding vows. "I do." Both man and woman whispered, yet everyone heard. As the vows were completed, the woman whispered softly to her husband, "I love you, Harry James Potter." "And I you, Hermione Jane Granger."

And that night the stars seemed to explode from happiness.

In a starched white room, a happy coupled beamed with happiness as they looked upon their baby. The newborn had green eyes and brown hair. No scar adorned her milky white skin. "Hello, my dear Lily." They whispered after a kiss. They wrapped her in the softest of green blankets, as they didn't think she would approve of pink. The couple walked out arm in arm, with nothing in the world existing but the their new family.

The moon beamed its radiant joy that night.

A girl now woman ran out of the hall and into her father's arms. "Daddy, Daddy! Oh, Daddy, look!" She held her hand out for her father. On her finger was a beautiful engagement ring. A ¾ carrot heart-shaped diamond and a white-gold band made up the modest but beautiful ring. "Travis proposed!" Travis was Lily's only boyfriend ever, and they dated for 6 years. Harry and Hermione liked Travis quite well, and he was Neville and Susan Longbottom's only child. He didn't look or act a bit like Neville though; he inherited the Bones good looks and poise from his mother.

Hermione walked into the hallway. "What is this ruckus? I was almost done with my potion!" Lily flashed her mother the ring. Both women squealed and hugged each other. Harry shrugged and embraced both women with a bone-crushing hug. "Mum, I know this is private and crazy, but may I see your wedding dress?" Hermione nodded and sent Harry to get it out the chest. Lily gasped. She had seen pictures of the wedding dress, but had never been able to feel it. It was in as good condition as the day of Hermione's wedding. "May I wear it?" Both women again embraced each other.

A single star shone that night quite merrily.

A woman walked down the isle in her mother's dress. A raven-haired man walked her down the isle. As he gave her away slowly, he kissed her cheek, and then slowly let his grip on her arm release. "This isn't really goodbye, Daddy. I'm just growing up. I'll just be living down the street. I love you." "I love you too Honey." She smiled, walked away from her father, and joined hand with her fiancé.

During the reception, Harry got the first dance with his daughter. He sang Butterfly Kisses softly while they twirled around the dance floor. Travis walked up to Lily saying, "And may I have thou's second dance of the eve?" Lily giggled at her husband's speech as she nodded. This dance caused all eyes to stop their idle wandering and all settled upon the wondrous sight. Man and woman seemed to blend together in a quiet mixing of souls. As the dance ended, everyone in the room had to shake themselves in order to wake them from their dream.

The night sky burst with joy on that night.

In a starched bed, an old man laid still. Next to him, an old woman, also in a bed, held his hand. They both looked at each other silently, knowing each other's thoughts through the other's eyes they knew so well. _**Death is but the next great adventure, Hermione.** _

_I know, Harry, but it feels as if I am about to jump off a ledge without looking._

**_Ah, but what a glorious plunge!_**

_No one dies together, Harry. If you die on a battlefield or in a bed surrounded by family, you die alone. _

**_But then you are reunited. After only a moment, we will be together more than ever before._**

_But that moment will seem so long._

_I**t is still only a moment. I fear not death any longer. I believe that I have lived life as well as I could. And if you crammed anything else into your schedule, you would have to split yourself in half.**_

_Remember when we first joined? _

**_On that hill after the final battle?_**

_Yes. Do you remember that day?_

_**How could I forget my first breath of life? Under that darkling sky, all dreams were reality; all fear was joy; all pain was happiness. And we declared out love under that darkling sky.** _

_Many things happen under this darkling sky. We defeated Voldemort; we were married; we had Lily; Lily got married; and now this._

_**Are you ready, Hermione?**_

_Yes. I'll see you in a moment._

And at the precise moment they took their final breath, two bright stars appeared in the darkling sky.

A/N: I was sidetracked… as usual… by this plot bunny. As for the ending, I am such a sadistic that my heart melts under the sun, so how could you expect me to give you a completely happy ending. I watch happy ending flying through window Anyway, Arcane Lore made a dress based off of the painting, Accolade.Adieu for now.


End file.
